Plea for free books, uniform to poor kids: HC seeks govt reply

The Delhi High Court today sought response of the AAP government on an application seeking directions to its directorate of education (DoE) to ensure that free study material and uniform are provided to poor kids in private and government schools before start of the session in April.
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul refrained from passing any interim orders and instead issued notice to DoE seeking its reply to the plea which claims that free study material is distributed to kids only after the summer vacation and the distribution continues for the entire session.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on March 11.

The application filed by advocate Khagesh Jha on behalf of NGO, Justice for All, has sought directions to DoE to ensure the study material and uniform, both winter and summer, are distributed by March 15.
The NGO has contended that DoE presently pays Rs 500 -- to children of classes 1 to 5 -- and Rs 700 to children of classes 6 to 8 in government and MCD schools, towards reimbursement of cost of books and uniform.
However, actual expenditure on uniforms comes to Rs 2500 per child, it added.
The PIL by the NGO has sought grant of free books and uniform to EWS children admitted in private unaided schools.

The court, which has reserved its verdict in the PIL, is currently in the process of setting up a committee to work out modalities of providing free study material and uniform to poor children in city schools.